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Work-life balance means trying to manage time between work and personal life. Many people say it’s important to live a healthy life. But some believe that if people focus too much on balance, they may become less productive. In today’s fast-paced world, is that true?
As a university student, I also have to think about work-life balance. I used to work part-time at a milk tea shop while going to school. I often felt very tired after work, and sometimes I didn’t have enough energy to study. On the other hand, when I had too much schoolwork, I didn’t have time to relax or see my friends. This made me feel stressed and unhappy. From this experience, I realized that finding a balance is not always easy, but it is important.
As a student, I think school life also shows how important balance is. Some of my classmates study day and night for exams, but they often look tired and unhappy. On the other hand, some students choose to relax more and enjoy hobbies, but their grades drop. The best situation is when someone can study well and still have time for themselves. I’m still learning how to do that, but I know that balance helps me feel more in control.
Some people say that when workers focus too much on their personal life, they stop putting full effort into their jobs. For example, in big tech companies like Google, people have flexible working hours and can work from home. While this sounds great, some managers said that not all workers stay motivated or meet their deadlines. (Anderson, 2020) Without a clear schedule or pressure, some people may get lazy. In some countries like France, the law only allows people to work 35 hours a week. They also get many vacation days. Some people think this is too relaxed and may hurt the economy. Companies might not be as productive compared to countries like the U.S. or China, where people work longer hours.
However, I think work-life balance can actually help people be more productive in the long run. If workers are too tired or stressed, they can’t focus or do their best. I’ve seen this with one of my friends. Her father works very late every day, and even on weekends. He often feels sick and has no time to enjoy life. Even though he works a lot, he doesn’t always get more done. In contrast, in places like Sweden, some offices tried shorter working hours. Workers only stayed six hours a day, but they actually finished the same amount of work or more. (The Local Sweden, 2019) Why? Because they were more focused and had more energy. Also, in Japan, where people are known to overwork, some companies changed their rules to give workers more time off. As a result, workers were healthier and stayed at their jobs longer.
Another point is that productivity should not be measured only by how many hours someone works. Many modern companies start to care more about mental health and job satisfaction. If employees feel supported, they are more likely to stay in their jobs and perform better. This is especially true for young workers, who want both a stable job and time for their personal lives. I think the meaning of success today is changing.
Also, I think the idea of productivity is not always about doing more. Sometimes, people work long hours, but the quality of the work is not very good. If someone is tired, unhappy, or not focused, they may make more mistakes or need more time to finish a task. On the other hand, someone who feels balanced and rested may work less time but do a better job. I believe that good productivity should also include working smart, not just working hard.
When I worked at the milk tea shop, I noticed that when I was tired or in a bad mood, I moved slower and made small mistakes, like mixing up orders. But when I had enough rest and was feeling good, I could work faster and serve more customers. That showed me that rest really helps with performance. In conclusion, while some people worry that focusing on life outside of work can reduce results, I think the opposite is true. A good balance helps people stay happy, healthy, and productive. From my own experience and what I’ve seen, balance is not a weakness—it’s a smart choice.
DiJun (kxuannn0424@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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